I'll take this one in bits
Big difference between Europe (obviously they will get a prime slot in a situation like Wacken which is their home country) and America. When was the last time Grave Digger even played the US? They'd probably wind up opening for bands like Firewind and Sonata Arctica in the US at this point. Whether or not you think they are good has no effect on their fanbase, or lack of one.
I absolutely agree with this actually. I mean, my point was that Grave Digger is a huge band. But you're right, the american fanbase is just not there, and those who are big GD fans are spread out over our fucking gigantic country which makes a big difference. Since they've never toured here, it is a bit difficult for them to do so now unless they start touring a lot, which won't happen (i'm getting ahead of myself though...)
I'm not saying by any stretch of the imagination that they are a bad band but to expect that they should draw more than 100 people when they rarely play the US and have virtually no appeal here to begin with is a bit naïve.
I disagree with this part though. With a special show like this, they should have gotten more than 100 people easy. I mean, i was at Symphony X's cd release show and it was packed, and they always play here. I think this event is more special... yeah, Symphony X has a much larger fanbase in the states, but the old school fans and new fans alike should have counted for more than 100 people. I won't argue that they're going to be selling out shows, but i think 75-100 people is more likely for a tour in a medium to big size market than just a one-off show. The special show should attract more people easy, though they should have had another name on the bill to fill it out a bit.
It's kinda like how Lamb Of God and As I Lay Dying don't have much of a draw just yet in Europe (well that's gonna change very soon since they are actively touring over there now... but in 2005-2006 LoG was billed really low on Unholy Alliance Europe for example). The difference though is that these bands are going to work to change that whereas bands like Grave Digger will not.
I guess the difference i see in this example is these bands are just starting out (i know, been around for a while, but if we compare respective careers then you know what i mean). I think that the difference is, as you said, touring. LoG and AILD are young and willing to tour their balls off whereas Grave Digger shuold have done that long ago to make their mark in the US scene so they could continue today (like Helloween, Destruction, etc. etc.) I think it's a matter of their old fans not realizing they're still around and their new fans just being so few and far between that a tour wouldn't really pull many people unless they did open a few bigger tours first.
point is, i think this show should have done better (not just because i like them, i really think that if it had been done properly there would have been a better turnout) and is disappointing that it didn't.
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